Hey Guys, It's me SaadMaqsood 🙋🏻♂️! Today we’re diving into something super cool — turning your PC into a mini web hosting machine 🌐💻. Imagine this: you’ve just built a portfolio, a project demo, or a simple HTML page, and instead of paying for hosting, you serve it straight from your own computer.
Yep, literally from your desktop! You’ll learn how to create a simple HTML file, run it on a local server using Python, and make it publicly accessible using port forwarding tools like ngrok or similar methods. This guide is beginner-friendly, step-by-step, and safe to follow. By the end, you’ll understand the basics of hosting and networking, and you’ll have a live website to show off. Let’s make your PC the ultimate web launchpad 🔥.
🔥 Why This Matters
Hosting your own website teaches you:
- How web servers work 🖥️
- Networking fundamentals 🌐
- How to share your projects publicly 🚀
- Hands-on skills for portfolios or demos 💼
Plus, it’s super empowering to see your site live without spending a dime 💡.
📚 What You’ll Learn
- Step 1: Create a simple HTML file
- Step 2: Run a local server using Python
- Step 3: Make your local server live using a port forwarding tool
🔢 Step 1: Create Your Website File
Start by creating a folder on your desktop called MyPortfolio. Inside it, create a file named index.html. This will be the main page of your website.
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>My Portfolio</title>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Welcome to My Portfolio</h1>
<p>This website is hosted directly from my PC!</p>
</body>
</html>
💡 Tip: You can add images, links, or style it with CSS later. Keep it simple for your first run!
🔢 Step 2: Run a Local Server Using Python
To make your website live on your PC, you need a local server. Python has a built-in HTTP server that makes this super easy.
First, check if Python is installed. Open PowerShell or CMD and run:
python --version
If you don’t have Python, download it here: https://www.python.org/downloads/ and install it. Make sure to check "Add Python to PATH" during installation ✅.
Next, navigate to your folder:
cd C:\Users\YourName\Desktop\MyPortfolioThen start the server:
python -m http.server 8080
This will serve your website locally at http://localhost:8080. Open it in your browser to see your site live on your machine 🖥️.
🔢 Step 3: Make Your Website Public with Port Forwarding
Now that your local server is running at http://localhost:8080, you can share it with the world using port forwarding tools 🌍. These services create a secure tunnel from the internet to your local machine, giving you a public URL without messing with router settings.
Some popular options include:
- Ngrok – Fast, widely used, and beginner-friendly. After installing ngrok and setting up a free account with an authtoken, you can expose your local server with:
ngrok http 8080
This gives you a temporary public URL (https) that anyone can visit. - Localhost.run – A free, lightweight SSH-based tunnel. You can forward your local port using:
ssh -R 0:localhost:8080 ssh.localhost.run
This assigns a temporary URL pointing to your local server. Perfect for quick demos. - Other reverse tunneling tools – Services like Serveo, Pagekite, or cloud-based reverse proxies also work. Each has their own instructions, but the concept is the same: forward a public port to your local machine securely.
💡 Important Disclaimer: For security reasons, I can’t provide step-by-step access that fully exposes your PC to the internet. Use these tools responsibly, only share your live URL with trusted people, and avoid exposing sensitive files or services. These tunnels are meant for demos, portfolios, or learning purposes 🚀.
Once your port forwarding tool is active, copy the public URL it generates and open it in any browser to see your website live from your PC! 🎉
✨ What to Do Next
- Try adding CSS and images to make your portfolio look professional 🎨
- Experiment with multiple pages:
about.html,projects.html, etc. - Share your live link with friends or on social media 💥
- Check GitHub for free HTML/CSS templates to make it pop ✨
👍 Comment, share, and let me know if you got your website live! Keep learning and experimenting, and remember — Stay Ethical 👾
Reviewed by Saad Maqsood
on
September 26, 2025
Rating:
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